Damages
by pagetbabe
Summary: "When you try your best but you don't succeed. Lights will guide you home and I will try to fix you." The mother side of a badass agent.
1. Chapter 1

Hi people! I'm back! But this is an unpretentious story, just for fun, just for myself, but of course always hoping that someone will join my crazy ideas. This is a sequel of "Playing with Fire", but you don't need to read it to understand.

Derek and Emily are married. They have two kids, Anna, 14, and Jolie, 10. It happens years later after the end of PWF. Anna is Ian's daughter but Derek raises her since she was a baby, having included in adopting her.

There will be almost nothing of Criminal Minds in this story, only Derek and Emily family life. This story is going to be mostly Anna's point of view and her issues but this also is an entire Morgan family story. Also, this is a bit based on the movie "Trust."

As always, I own nothing.

**============ / ============**

"**She bends and stretches and lifts and turns.**

**Eyes to the front, chin up, don't frown.**

**She bends and stretches and lifts and turns.**

**Stay in line, that's it. Keep to the beat.**

**One and two and three and four.**

**She bends and stretches and lifts and turns."**

The place was crowded. It was an end of autumn and the temperature was perfect for this special evening for the Morgan family. It was Anna's ballet graduation. She was now a professional ballerina dancer, one of the best of the country, at only fourteen years old.

The presentation was going on for the delight of the audience. Emily's heart were so warm now, so proud of her little baby that was now almost the same height as her.

Emily could see the sparkle in Anna's eyes doing the presentation. She could see the light shining through her eyes as she was moving across the stage with total grace, balance and professionalism. Emily, Derek, Jolie, Ambassador and the whole BAU family were all beaming with pride seeing Anna doing this classic masterpiece presentation.

Totally against Emily's wills, Ambassador had invited all the high society magazines to cover the event, offering a big dinner at her mansion after the presentation for a few guests.

"Mother, is this really necessary?"

"Em, this is never enough for any of my granddaughters. This is just the tip of the iceberg."

Emily rolled her eyes.

She was the main star of the presentation. Under prolonged warm applauses, in the middle of the stage, she bowed down to thank everyone in the audience. Amidst camera flashes, she could see a familiar face, there in the bottom of the theater, leaning against a wall, standing.

A mysterious guy was lurking. He had a sweet devilish smile staring deeply at Anna on stage, but this didn't seem to bother her.

'_Magnifismo bella, bravo_!' He was thinking to himself.

It had formed a big agglomeration in the theater. Each ballerina was trying to find their family to the appropriate congratulations.

A reporter approached Emily, catching her totally off guard:

"Mrs. Morgan, what do you think of your daughter's performance and all the attention she is stirring?"

"No comment, please, just want to say I'm very proud of her, leave it at that, please."

Anna finally approached her family. Both Derek and Emily gave her a huge hug.

"Congratulations, sweetie, I'm so very proud of you. You were more than perfect up there. You made me cry with so many happy tears and filled my heart with happiness."

"Thanks, Mom."

Also Jolie, Declan, Ambassador, Fran, Sarah, Desiree and the whole BAU team were all there.

A few reporters made a few questions to Anna.

After this, Jack Hotchner, who was also fourteen, came to talk to Anna, "You were awesome there..."

"Thanks, Jack."

Jack had become that person that was always there for Anna. Since her first day at school, he was always there for her, helping with tests, homework, private classes when she needed to be absent because of the ballet presentations, ,but he had never actually told her how he felt about her or about his love for her. He was smart. He knew she had built this barrier between them. He was not the type of guy that a 'bad temper strong genes person' like Anna would fall in love with or be interested in him. So, he pretended he wanted to be only friends and she pretended she didn't know about his interest.

Anna wanted to go to say something to the mysterious guy but for her disappointment he was no longer there. She then approached her family again. But that was not lost on Emily.

"**She bends and stretches and lifts and turns.**

**She dances her way through the dark night,**

**A lost soul into the evil darkness,**

**She bends and stretches and lifts and turns."**

"What is it sweetie? You're looking around like you are looking for someone?"

"It's nothing, Mom, I just thought I saw someone I recognized but I was wrong."

"Well, Anna my dear granddaughter, you said you thought you saw someone that you thought you recognized but pretty soon the whole world is going to know you. You will be worldwide famous not just the United States, dear."

"Oh, mother, please, this is last thing we need or want."

"Mom... I want to be a famous ballerina!"

"Your grandmother would do everything in her power to make you be known worldwide. Anna, sweetie, I just want you to be happy and I know that your ballerina work and career does this for you already and you will achieve anything you put your mind and heart into. Dad, Jolie and your whole family and BAU family and I will always love and support you in everything."

"I know Mom and I cannot thank you all enough as all your love and support is why my career is taking of and so successful. I could not do it all without any of you."

"Then how come Anna, you told those reporters only about Grandma Ambassador supporting you in your career…"

"Well, Jojo, that's my oversight. I am so sorry, Mom, it is given all of you are equally responsible for my support. I was too excited and nervous, I was not thinking of what I was saying."

"That's no problem at all, sweetheart."

For the special dinner, Ambassador was serving salmon, caviar, pate, lobster, shrimps, crab cakes and lot of delicious things. The BAU family, along with Fran, Desiree and Sarah were all invited too. There was a huge table settled with porcelain and crystals, French champagne for the adults toast and juice for the children, Anna, Jolie, Jack and Henry.

Everyone was sitting at the table. Right before they started dinner, Anna got up and was asked to make a speech.

"Well, family, friends and all special guests, I want to thank all of you for being here and sharing my very special achievement day with me. Thanks very much to my grandmother the Ambassador for having this wonderful party for me here with all this special delicious food and treats that I should not be eating for my ballet shape but my Grandmother remind me it is just one day and that I deserve this day of celebration and I can go back to normal diet tomorrow." They all laughed. "I also want to thank all my family and friends for their love and support that I would not be able to do any of this without all of you. So let's now eat as that presentation made me work up an appetite, here, here to all of you, cheers and bon appétit to you and thanks very much to you all again."

Ambassador was super thrilled, tears were rolling down her face (exaggerating a bit) saying, "Aw, she is so like me!"

Emily rolled her eyes and she wanted to laugh at the scene that the Ambassador was making.

Ambassador made a huge toast, saying, "To my darling gifted talented granddaughter, may her name be a household name in the whole world, her name will be more known than Anna Pavlova, who is the most talented ballerina and famous of all times, very soon. I am so proud THAT she inherited all my elegant, sophisticated genes."

After dinner but before the dessert, Ambassador asked one of her employees to bring a beautiful velvet box. She got up with the box in hands. It was a gift to Anna for her ballet graduation. Anna approached her grandmother, taking the box, "Thank you, Grandma."

It was nothing less than a crown full of diamonds. Anna opened her mouth totally speechless for a few seconds looking at inside of that box; the same reaction of the rest of the guests when Anna took it in hands.

"**She bends and stretches and lifts and turns.**

**But will she be fooled by the mask that evil wears?**

**She is naïve and young **

**She doesn't like what she is becoming**

**She bends and stretches and lifts and turns."**

"Mother, this is just a little too much!"

"Nonsense, Em, Anna deserve much more than this, all my family members do. You would not allow me to give you things directly things, allow me for your children to be given things by me, please, Em."

It was clear that Anna liked richness, her eyes were sparkling. Ambassador placed the diamond crown on Anna's head.

"Statistics show something like this size, beauty, radiance, how it shines, this jewel must be equivalent owned by ancient rulers in the very historical past owned by queens, princesses and other royal family members, that this item would never have a price listed because it is worth all the money in the world and much more."

"Boy Genius, you never let us down. You always have a statistics for every occasion."

"Spencer, I have no idea what you were talking about but I loved this gift so very much, thank you so much Grandma."

Anna hugged her Grandma.

Emily and Derek looked at each other. They both were thinking that Anna should not accept something this priceless.

"Mother, something like this belongs in a museum for everyone to see. You deprived the public of seeing such a rare and precious crown jewel, Mother."

"Why should my precious talented granddaughter be deprived of this Em? She definitely earns it and deserves it."

After this they cut the huge ballerina cake, saying in it "To Anna - The Best Ballerina in The Whole World – Congratulations!"

"**She bends and stretches and lifts and turns.**

**Will her beauty last?**

**Will her soul be able to fly again?**

**Like the firm leaps of a ballerina.**

**Or will the imaginary prison be her death.**

**She bends and stretches and lifts and turns."**

It was an ordinary morning at Morgans' home. She was stretching in bed, awakened by the sound of the alarm, always 6 am. Like he always used to do when he was home, she felt his strong arms around her body, still under the sheets, "Morning, Princess." He kissed her: wet and hot kiss. Without breaking the kiss, she whispered, "You just massaged me from the inside last night. It was perfectly delicious."

"Well, Princess, I can't wait to do it again and again and again, and hmm I think we still have time for…"

His hands were running on her body straight to the point, until she that stopped him, "Oh no, I wish we had more time for this, but unfortunately we don't have time for this. The girls must be getting ready and I need to prepare breakfast, they cannot be late for school and you need to get ready for your boss, Mr. FBI agent." She teased him while she got up and get dressed with her satin pajamas, looking at his body and laughing that even this 'cold bucket of water' had not been enough to get him 'out of the mood'.

"Ouch, don't mention this…"

"Hmm, don't complain Derek, remember how many times Jolie interrupted us? We don't have this anymore."

"Tell me about it! At those times it was not funny but thinking about it now it's hilarious and I wouldn't trade anything for those memories."

The coffee was ready for her and Derek. There were chopped fruits, cereals with milk for the girls, and orange juice.

"Morning, Mom." Jolie joined them in the kitchen not before putting her school bag on the sofa,

"Morning, sweetie." Emily hugged her."

"Morning, Daddy." She kissed her father.

"Morning, little Princess. Did you sleep well?"

"Well, Anna was listening to music until late night and on her iphone, other than this it was okay."

Anna rolled her eyes hearing this. She had just joined them.

"Well, the only people to blame here is our parents since they never gave us a separated bedroom, and Jojo saying this about me playing my music until late and this is an inconvenience for your baby Princess, may I suggest that this is a good time to have my own room. This would be beneficial not only for me but for your baby too, so I can play music anytime without feeling that I am disturbing baby here, what do you say Mom, Dad, is it time to get my own room now, right? Please?"

"Anna, that is good idea but I wish you'd stop calling me a baby, I'm ten years old now."

"Your 'Joliese' might be gone and you don't sleep with Mom and Dad anymore even though I bet you still want to, but you still so immature. Unlike me..."

"We'll think about getting your own rooms for you two like using the office for Jolie's room but in the meantime, Anna, please, stop making fun of your younger sister, she isn't a baby and you're right she isn't as mature as you but that is perfectly understandable since you are four years older than her."

Derek parked the car in front of the school to drop the girls.

Anna had taken the wrong book to the classroom so she had to go quickly to her locker to pick up the correct book. As she closed the locker she found herself face to face with the mysterious man. She instantly felt chills through her body, totally dazed and caught up in his deep blue eyes. He was so very handsome in his suit and tie.

"Hi." He said.

"**She bends and stretches and lifts and turns.**

**She doesn't know what the world has for her**

**In her innocent heart, she is a prisoner,**

**Trapped into her own, little black world,**

**But will she try to escape?**

**She bends and stretches and lifts and turns."**

**============ / ============**

**I would appreciate a comment.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi people, some of you asked me about the movie "Trust". There are several movies with this title, but this one I'm referring here is the movie that Clive Owen was indicated for Oscar. Hope it helps. So, this story is based on this movie, but lots different. Enjoy.**

**I own nothing**

**============ / ============**

"Hi."

After getting rid of his penetrating look, she closed the locker and ran. She was a bit shy and uncomfortable. But he would NEVER give up.

Weeks later, he was pretending that he was only passing through the hallway of the school when Anna dropped her books accidentally as she was carrying a few, he bent down to help her to pick her up her books, he touched her hands in the process. She faced him, scared, "I'm sorry", he said in his soft voice, pretending that he didn't mean to touch her hands.

He was a little more elegant that day. She could also smell his strong cologne.

She was in the classroom, waiting for the next class when he entered the place. She felt her heart racing. She felt a weird and strong connection with him. It was almost as if he had some kind of control on her.

"Good morning, class, I'm Mr. Brody, but you all can call me just Sean. I'm your new math teacher."

She felt uncomfortable and restless during all the class, and she didn't have a plausible explanation for this. She wished she had. Every time he approached her desk, her heart raced.

He was explaining something about math and walking slowly through the classroom. He stopped next to Anna's desk, needless to say that she wasn't even paying attention in class. The teacher asked her something about the theme. She opened her mouth to say something but she had no idea what he was asking. The whole class was looking at her face. To not make her feel embarrassed, he said, "Well, I'm sure she knows the answer but it's up to me to teach, not the students."

She breathed relieved smiling inside as he walked away from her toward his desk. She could swear that he looked at her and smiled too.

This teacher was making Anna's insides feel like 'jelly and jello.' She never felt any of these sensations before. She had kissed a couple of boys before but never felt anything not even close to what she was feeling here. She had no idea what these feelings were. Was he really looking at her differently or was it maybe something from her imagination? She didn't know. After class, before leaving the classroom, she gave a last look at him. He wasn't looking at her, she lowered her head and left. "Stop imagining things, Anna." She said to herself.

She left the classroom. It was like she was walking on air, floating. This feeling was a real high for her. She could not explain this to herself and to anyone. She had to keep this to herself even though she wanted to ask her mother but she knew she could not and she would not have the courage to do this.

It was one of those rare days that Derek was there to pick them up at school. Anna and Jolie were in the back seat together, "Anna, you have that space out look like your mind is a zillion miles away from here."

"That's to be far away from you, little brat."

"Anna! That's not nice to say to your sister!"

"I'm here sitting, quiet, and she's bothering me."

"Your sister is just too concerned about you Anna because you were never this quiet before."

"Daddy, you're confusing me as Jojo is the one that always talk nonstop, not me, with her annoying 'joliese', asking zillion questions every millisecond. It took her whole life to call me 'Anna' and not "Nana".

"It was a nice sweet nickname, Miss Anna Prentiss Morgan."

"I never needed a nickname!"

"You call me Jojo all the time and I never complained!"

"Daddy, Jojo is always following me at school, it's so embarrassing, all my friends seeing my baby sister trying to tag along with me at lunch time."

"…Nothing wrong with your sister wanting to spend some free time at school with you, Anna."

"…and I don't stalk you as you say, just wanting to talk to you at free time like at lunch."

"We spend zillions millions times together at home all the time. Isn't it enough?"

"Anna, there's nothing wrong with Jolie wanting to talk to you at lunch break and Jolie, you can spend more time with your friends at your age like Henry, at lunch time."

"Yeah, Jojo, go to the tree and go kissy, kissy with Henry." Anna was making fun of her little sister here.

"NO, Daddy, that's not true, I never kissed him, I swear!"

"I know, darling, relax, and Anna, stop teasing your sister like that."

"Well, you're only ten, still too young for that, but trust me, very soon things will be different."

This sentence turned on the alarm for Derek in his head, "Why are you saying this Anna? Is there anything me and your mom need to know about kissing?"

"Hmm, no, Daddy, I was just saying that I am four years older. I know more a bit about this than Jojo here."

"Anna kissed! Anna kissed! Anna kissed! Anna kissed!"

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!"

"Hey, hey, you two, isn't there a day that you two don't argue? Your mother always complains to me about this and I always think that she is exaggerating, but... hey... you two really do this every day to her Oh my God! I cannot believe this!

Both Anna and Jolie said at the same time: "It's Anna!" / "It's Jojo."

"Can you two please talk to each other more in a friendly manner? Because this is starting to give me a headache as well and also I'm driving, so, please talk as civilized people or just stay quiet until we get home."

**============ / ============**

**At home**

Emily was ironing and cooking at the same time. Derek and Jolie gave her a kiss and went to their bedroom to change clothes and other stuff. Anna took this little period time alone with her mother, "Mom, can we talk?"

"Yes, sweetie, but… can this wait a little bit? I'm finishing cooking dinner and I want to finish ironing."

Anna was disappointed because during all the way school – home she had been gathering courage to talk to her mother, "Sure, Mom…" She went to her bedroom. Emily was too busy to notice the anguish in Anna's voice.

If only Emily knew how important a talk Anna wanted to have with her and how that lost moment and timing made Anna closed up and not wanting to talk about this ever again with her, even though Anna so desperately wanted to talk about all these strange feelings she had and was confused of all what she was feeling now.

Later that same night, they were all in bed ready to sleep. Emily was reading a book and Derek was in the TV room watching games. He then joined Emily in bed and they were only talking a bit, Derek started to kiss her and getting into the mood, when suddenly Emily remembered about something.

"Oh, Derek, wait, Oh my God, I forgot." She got up and dressed her robe.

"Anna wanted to talk to me."

"Oh, Emily, can't this wait until tomorrow. She must be sleeping by now."

"No, Derek. I have to try. It seemed important."

Emily knocked one time and opened the door. She saw Jolie sleeping in her bed but Anna was still awake, digging in her cell phone.

"Hey."

Emily approached Anna's bedroom and sat, "Did you want to talk to me?"

Anna broke the eye contact, "It was nothing important, Mom."

"It seemed important, Anna. I just couldn't stop that time to talk to you, but I'm all yours now. What is it?"

Anna knew that Emily was a profiler during all her life, plus, she had a great maternal sixth sense and she would not give up until she made Anna talk so Anna had to come up with a subject.

"It's about boys, just wanting to know what boys look for in a girl my age, but we can talk tomorrow since Jolie is sleeping, and we still share the same room."

"Are you interested in someone?"

"No, not specifically. It is that my friends, they always have a boy that likes them and I don't have so I was wondering if there is something wrong with me."

"I'm glad you're asking me this Anna. I want to know that you always can count on me, especially about these issues, and no, there's nothing wrong with you. You are gorgeous, intelligent, kind and loving. There is nothing wrong with you."

"Thanks, Mom. We can talk tomorrow, Mom. I want to sleep now."

"Okay, but briefly, what boys are looking for is what you are now, sweet, loving, kind. Just remember to always be yourself and not try to be something you are not. You are wonderful and any boy would be lucky to spend time with you, but you are at age where you should not have anything serious, just friendships and fun. Jack is a really good boy that you can spend time with, going to movies or something."

"I really like Jack, Mom, but right now I see him as family like a brother."

"I know and this is good since you're too young to think about something different from friendship, and please, just keeping telling me everything, okay?"

"Okay, Mom, I will…"

"It's important that we keep having talks like this."

"Yes, it is, thanks Mom… and Mom… please, think about a room for Jojo. I need my own room."

"I'm going to do this tomorrow. I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks, Mom."

Emily kissed her on the forehead, "Good night, sweetie."

"Good night, Mom."

Before Emily left the bedroom, "…And no cell phone on bedtime!"

Anna so wanted to tell her mother about her teacher but what would she say? She herself was not understanding what she was feeling, and she knew that Emily would tell her that this was wrong, and she knew that this seemed wrong too, but somehow she could not stop thinking of him and the way he look at her, it felt very weird but very special at the same time.

**============ / ============**

**At school**

"Well, class, I decided to make a math club for students, after school time, so the winners can compete with other schools and in championships to compete for scholarship in high school and college."

The students were thrilled with the news.

"I'm going to need a personal assistant."

He walked next to Anna, "Maybe you?"

She was paralyzed.

"I saw that you're one of the best students of the class. I could use your help. What do you think?"

Anna right there felt like a deer in headlights look, she was totally paralyzed that she could not even move with all her might. It was a real helpless feeling for her. It took her about 30 seconds before she was able to mutter one word answer to him which was, "Okay."

**============ / ============**

"_**One mustn't look at the abyss, because, there is, at the bottom, an inexpressible charm which attracts us." Gustave Flaubert**_

**============ / ============**


	3. Chapter 3

**I own nothing**

**============ / ============**

Derek hugged her by the waist and leaned against the desk in their home office, "This desk brings me back such great memories."

"Hmm, I know, even though I missed the times she used to sleep with us but thank God for this small office."

Narrowing the hug, "Well, Princess, I think we could do this here for the last time before it becomes her room." He kissed her.

She broke the kiss and got rid of his arms around her body, "No, Derek. We don't have much time and I want to do this surprise for her for when she comes from school. That's why I asked you to come home early for today."

"Ouch, okay, what do you need?"

"We have to bring her bed and the dresser here."

"Emily, there's no space for this in here. It barely fits this desk…"

"Well, Derek, we have to find a way. Let's change the desk for the space in there next to the door and we can put her bed here, and the dresser on the other wall in there, what do you think?"

Derek was mentally studying and calculating the spaces in the office. "What about the wardrobe?"

"I will leave the wardrobe for Anna and bring only the dresser."

"Do you think all Jolie's belongings will fit in the dresser only?"

"There are also the drawers under the bed."

"Well, even so I don't think all her things will…"

"Derek please just does the legwork only and leaves the 'thinking' part for me. Bring the dresser here, please."

With Derek's experience, he was able to figure out how to fit everything perfectly and transform the old office in a bedroom for Jolie. Both he and Emily did their best that they could so Anna and Jolie would have their own room now.

**============ / ============**

**At school**

The girls were in the changing room for physical education class, volleyball class.

"Thomas is so handsome! Do you think he will come to watch us?"

"Oh, I don't know, I prefer Jack, he is a cutie, but he has eyes only for Anna here."

"As far as I know Anna has no interest in him."

"Do you, Anna?"

Anna was changing her school uniform to the volleyball clothes, "What?"

"Are you on the moon? We're talking about Jack."

"What about Jack?"

The other girls rolled their eyes, "Do you have any interest in him?"

"God, no! He's like a brother to me!"

"Well, he doesn't seem to feel the same."

"That's his problem. If any of you have any interest in him, go for it because I don't."

Anna went to the volleyball court.

"If she has no interest in Jack, she must be mooning over someone."

"Yes, it was like she was in another world mooning over someone."

"I wonder who it is."

"I never see her with any one from this school."

"Maybe he doesn't go to our school."

"Yes, maybe. Whatever…"

The ballet dance and the fact that she was tall and also her dedication made her a very good volleyball player too, one of the best.

The coach was there and they were playing. There were a few other students at the bleachers, only to watch the girls playing in volleyball uniform. Toward the end of practice, Anna glanced at the bleachers, and there he was: the math teacher. They shared a very quick look, but enough to make Anna tremendously distracted from that point. The coach with his whistle was always asking her to pay attention.

"Anna, get your mind in the game! If this was a real game, we'd have no chance to win! Focus just like when you were doing before! Nothing can distract you!"

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again…"

"No, it won't! …Because I'd take you out without thinking!"

Anna was thinking to herself. "Get it together, girl, you can do this, just remember those times when you were on stage doing ballet presentations with a zillion people watching you, that this could be very distracting but you were always focus on your moves, you got to do the same thing here, with the ballet presentations so many people watching but right now just one person here distracting you like crazy? Come on, that is ridiculous, girl."

But when she was thinking all this, she lost another ball. She could barely look at the coach now, "Anna, out! NOW!"

She felt totally humiliated. She ran to the shower room to take a shower and change. He was waiting for her outside the gym, in a place with no cameras and that no one could hear or see them. Anna was rushing out of there as she was still upset. She had her school bag on her backs and she was walking fast with her head low, she took a fright when she found herself face to face with him. She could not move anymore. Not that he was holding her or something, he didn't even touch her. He had that strong power of paralyzing her, only by looking at her. After the first moment, he said something.

"You were great out there."

She was able to mutter only a, "Thank you."

Anna was feeling extremely uncomfortable. She was not expecting him to be there to watch her practice. She could feel him staring at her intensely that it was piercing through her heart that she actually could feel her heart beating too fast and her hands were shaking that she could barely move them towards the ball.

"What is it, Anna? Don't be upset because you were fabulous out there, just like everything you do."

She kept quiet, feeling cornered.

"Anna, I just got some new programs and proposals that were sent by members of our math team as suggestions for us to do. I need you to meet me after the classes. Sorry for last minute on this but I just received them. The faster we can work on this the faster we can implement all these ideas and proposals."

"I haven't talked to my mother about this yet."

"Just call her and tell her."

"She always come to pick up my sister and I. My sister wouldn't like to stand here waiting."

"Tell her to pick you up after we are finished."

Anna wasn't sure about this. The smart teacher noticed, "Okay, Anna, I'll give you some time to talk to her. Tell your mother that we are doing math club and we're going to have regular meetings occasionally and that you'll need to stay for an hour or so after regular classes. Promise me you'll talk to her?"

She slowly nodded, "Yes."

He touched her face, with his thumb near her mouth, "Great."

She ran away from there, from him, afraid, thinking, "Who is that man that is giving me chills, who is stealing my peace."

**============ / ============**

**At home**

"I think I'm getting older, ouch my backs hurt."

"You should start to consider a desk job then Derek."

"C'mon, Princess, I'm just joking."

"I bet you aren't"

"You really think that changing two or three furniture in this place would make me break?"

"Well, I don't know. You do look exhausted. Also, the girls are growing up so fast, three years more and Anna goes to the college, and then Jolie, I could use your company at home more frequently."

"I know what you are getting at Emily. I love your thinking, more time for us to spice things up at home. This will cut down our heating bills for sure."

"Derek, you pig!" She threw a pillow at him. "…Always thinking about sex! I'm saying here that we could stay together, go to movie, have dinner at restaurant, things like that, getting older together… That was what I was saying…"

"I am hurt now Princess, you wound me deeply. Of course we will do all these romantic things as I am not a caveman after all."

"Sometimes you seem like one…"

"…And I know you like it."

He pulled her for a deeply passionate kiss.

"I can't believe we were able to finish this before they come back from school."

"They'll be so happy that they have separated bedrooms now."

"Yes, but I'm doing this more for Jolie. Anna really bothers her at bed time with cell phone and music and other things, even though this space is small."

"Emily, Jolie will love this. She'll be really happy with this bedroom."

"She deserves better, Derek."

"Well, I always told you, we could take one of my properties to live in but you never wanted to do this."

"Because the money from these rents really help us, Derek, since I'm not working for years now. Also, my whole life was about a lot of money and huge mansions that I had to buy an airplane ticket to fly to my Mom's room. I never wanted this for our kids."

"I know, Emily, you want better for our two girls. I know your life was filled with luxuries and material things. You had more than a zillion families had combined but that was not what you needed as you needed close family love and that is what you provided for our daughters all their lives."

"Well, it's time to pick them up, can you do this?"

"Sure, Princess."

"I'll be here preparing the last details. Don't tell them, I want to make a surprise."

**============ / ============**

**At home**

Anna entered home and ran to her bedroom. She barely looked at Emily in the living room waiting for them.

Jolie was totally the opposite. She gave Emily a hug.

"Hi, sweetheart, how was school?"

"It was great, Mommy. Guess what, Mommy, my art class will represent Romeo and Juliet and I'M GOING TO BE THE JULIET! I'm so nervous, Mommy."

"Oh, don't be so nervous, you're going to do great, I'm sure of it. I'm going to help you."

"Thanks, Mommy. I really appreciate this."

"Anna is upset again, what happened? Did they fight again?"

"No, Emily, Anna was quiet all the way home. I tried to ask her why she's so upset but she didn't say anything."

"Something happened at school, Jolie?"

"Not that I know of, Mommy."

The profiler skills and the mother's sixth sense of Emily were exploding now. She knew that something was happening.

Jolie was climbing the stairs towards to the bedroom she used to share with Anna, to put away her schoolbag.

"Jolie, sweetie, please, can you do me a favor? I left a document on the desk at the office, a yellow envelope. Can you bring it for me?" It was a pretext for Jolie to go to the office.

"Sure, Mom."

Jolie dropped her schoolbag on the floor and went to the old office that was now a bedroom only for her. Of course that Emily and Derek were right after her.

As soon as she opened the door, she could see the bedroom, a perfect room for a preteen girl with everything that Jolie liked, "Surprise!" Derek and Emily yelled at the same time.

Jolie was speechless. She was totally amazed. It was a small office still with a bed and a dresser and a lot of 'girls' things', but Jolie was so thrilled screaming with joy, "Mommy, oh my God, I don't even know what to say, thank you so much, Mommy." She gave Emily a big hug.

Emily hugged her back, "You deserve so much more, sweetie, for being such kind, caring, loving and wonderful person, always making me so proud of you."

"Hey, hey, I did my best here too, I set the bed, wardrobe, and all of the legwork. I think I deserve a hug, too…"

Emily left Jolie and Derek there at the new bedroom and went to talk to Anna. She opened the door, "Anna, honey, is everything okay?"

"Stop asking me this all the time!"

"ANNA!"

Anna rolled her eyes, "Sorry."

Emily entered the bedroom and sat on the bed next to her, "What happened?"

"Nothing happened, Mommy, I'm just tired of every move that I make, people asking me what happened and say that I'm different. I'm not! I'm the same person as always. That's it."

"Anna, I'm your mother! I know you better than you do."

"Even if something happened, maybe, I don't want to share this with anyone. It belongs to me. It's MY life. I'm fourteen already. I'm not a baby anymore."

"I know you aren't a baby anymore, but you are at an age that is so tough, not quite an adult as well, in between, and so many new changes in your body that you might be confused about. Anna, at your age, I could not talk to my Mother about anything, about any of my doubts, but I really needed to and I felt so lonely. I don't want the same for you. I want you to feel that you can talk to me about anything at anytime, okay?"

Hearing this had the same effect as a catharsis for Anna. The purgation of all different emotions that she has been feeling, especially fear. She could not help but cry. Emily hugged her, "Oh, sweetie, why are you crying?"

She could not tell her mother about this very unpleasant or disturbing feeling caused by the presence or imminence of danger, because she was totally frightened by that teacher. She could not explain. He was only a teacher that needed her help for a Math Club. But why did he have this terrible power of paralyzing her. What was this damn feeling that she could not avoid or control? So, she had to come up with an excuse.

"It's the volleyball class. I was suspended from the game today."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Anna. I know you love playing volleyball and I know you did your best, but this happens to all of us. When I was in school, there were teams that I played for that and it did not work for me either."

"Was the coach rude at you?"

Wiping away the tears, "No, Mommy, not at all. I think I was a little distracted and I wasn't expecting him to take me out of the practice."

Emily hugged her again, "That's okay, sweetie, this happens to all of us. There are some days that we just are not up to anything. That's pretty normal. Like, you didn't even notice that now you have your own room!"

"Really? That makes me so happy. You said I'm not a baby anymore, and so much changes so it's important that I have my own room. I know with all these new changes to my body, this makes me more moody and not fair for Jojo to put up with my mood swings and I know she needs peace and quiet all the time too."

**============ / ============**

**A few weeks later**

Feeling more confident and pretty with all the looks from the handsome math teacher over her, Anna was getting ready to school. She was standing, looking at her image in the mirror. She smiled, remembering when the teacher said to her, 'you're so pretty', she blushed.

She was brought to reality by Emily's yell from downstairs, "C'mon, Anna! We're going to be late."

Anna grabbed her schoolbag and went downstairs.

"Wow, what a change."

"What, Mom?"

"You never dressed like this before to go to school."

"Well, Mom, I just found out that there are others different kinds of clothes than jeans and white T-shirt."

"Yes, but this skirt is quite too short for school."

"Oh, Mom, all my friends go like this. I won't change. We're late."

Anna passed by Emily leaving the apartment towards to the elevator. Emily only observed with the keys of the car in her hands and her opened mouth.

During all the driving to school, Emily was filing more mental notes in her mind about Anna, of how every day she was acting so very strangely, and it was much more than her new changes to her body and puberty. Emily knew that there was much more than her eyes could see here. It was like one big jigsaw puzzle that Emily had to piece together and it would take long time to solve but Emily was determined to solve this because she really felt that something was wrong with Anna but she could not pin point what just yet.

She parked in front of the school. Jolie and Anna came out of the car.

"Mom, I have a meeting after regular class for the math club. So, I won't be here at same time as Jojo."

"Again? This math club is becoming like a full time job that even more hours than your father's job at the BAU, at times. It is supposed to be fun not grueling long hours, Anna."

"Yes, Mom, again, we have lots of things to decide because we're going to have a big presentation. I can go by bus or metro. You don't have to pick me up."

"Anna, no way I'll let you enter a bus or a metro dressed like this. You call me and I'll pick you up."

"Okay, Mom, I'll call you when I'm ready but I have no idea when it'll finish, please, don't call me as I'll be tied up and busy all the time. I'll call you, Mom, thanks."

And she left the car, leaving Emily and her 'opened mouth" again.

============ / ============

After the classes and after all students and most of teachers had left, Anna went towards the meeting room, in the school basement. Walking down the stairs, she could notice the silence and not the usual typical noise with all the students that were participating in the math club. When she reached the big meeting room, she could see him. He was alone, looking at her. A little embarrassed, she approached him and asked, "Where are the others?"

He smiled, "It's just you and me today, Anna."

**============ / ============**

**Please, leave a comment! Thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi guys, someone asked me to write a story about Emily having eating disorder. I will think about but I'm starting another story soon in partnership with a friend. I will post more details later.**

**I own nothing**

**============ / ============**

"I think we could use this opportunity to talk."

"Talk?"

"Yes, Anna… Or… should we keep pretending that nothing is happening here."

She was confused. She was not sure what he was talking about.

"Anna, I cannot take my eyes off of you. I am totally in love with you."

She looked at him more intensely now. She opened her mouth a bit in surprise, exactly like her mother. She was paralyzed, hypnotized!

"You're smart, you're gorgeous. You're totally different of all those girls of the class, of the school. I cannot control my feelings anymore, not even for a second. I'm going crazy. I cannot keep this only for me anymore. I had to tell you, because I know you're mature enough to keep this only between us, right?"

Anna was not even a little mature, and she wasn't even old enough for this, and he knew this very well. He was only throwing out his poison. She was totally naive. Anna was there only absorbing all the things he was saying. She was emotionally incapable of even talking now. He was smart. He didn't want to scare her even more, so he kept talking.

"I love you so much that I'd be able to wait for you until you're eighteen… only four years, but I'd wait for you for one hundred years if that is what it takes. That's the much I'm in love with you."

In a subtle but effective way, these words were penetrating in Anna's 'mental house'. In her innocence of a little girl, that thought she was an adult, she was still, gosh, so pure.

No, she did not know, not even close, what or how was the carnal love. But how sweet is the curiosity of the first love! That when we say we do not want, it steals our soul, our entire being, holding us in a prison from which we never ever want to be set free.

Anna knew that something was going on since she had saw him at the ballet presentation, an event that had nothing to do with the school but he had been there, only spying, and when she was about to present him to her parents, he just vanished.

He was a handsome guy, in his thirties, tall, penetrating blue eyes, always in suit and tie, inebriant scent and soft voice. Anna was feeling so special having attracted his attention for her, and having aroused such feelings in him. This made her feels ultra confident. She was feeling prettier, more than ever, and it was such a great feeling, like a drug. Deep in her soul, she had always felt like she was the second best, always, because of Jolie. She always felt deprecated, and now, for the first time, she was feeling like 'the first' in something, yeah, it was so good for her that she could not see what was right in front of her: the danger of the abyss.

She looked at him in the eyes and he was looking at her exposed legs, then he looked at her straight in the eyes.

"…and Anna, as I can see, I'm not the only one interested here... By this short skirt, and by the way you've been dressing lately and putting on makeup, I can tell you're pretty much interested, too."

"I don't know. I've never been with anyone before." She was a little embarrassed for saying this. "…But I did kiss a few boys."

He touched his own chest on the side of the heart, "Ouch, this hurts me." He smiled.

She smiled too, and broke the eyes contact. All the time that they were talking, she was leaning against a table. He knew that meeting room had no cameras and that, by this time, that there were only a few people in the school still. Even so, he walked to the door and locked it, under her curious look.

She stood up. Her breathing was accelerating as he was slowly approaching her, as well as her heart. It was as if her feet had been stuck on the floor and she could not run and she could not move, totally taken by his charm.

He was less than an inch from her face now. She could feel his breathing from being so close they were, but she was afraid of looking at him. He had gently touched her chin, moving up slowly along the arms to the shoulder and then around her necks. All this with a lovely look into her eyes with as if to get her to look at him, and it worked. Both their mouths were half opened while, slowly, he was moving his lips towards hers. He was slanting his head and touched her lips with his gently kissing her, while moving his hands around her waist.

She was mesmerized by his touch, his kiss and their tongues dancing together. Anna had kissed boys before but those kisses were like experimental kisses with only 'boys' that had brought nothing for her, no emotions, and they sort of felt like they're brotherly kisses, but this kiss with the teacher was from a real man that she never thought she would experience quite so soon. It was like a huge adrenaline rushing to her entire body that she never ever felt before.

The strong desire was opening a new world for Anna, around her and this teacher, a world full of lust and love. It is a spicy, powerful combination sending waves of passion, crashing over them. The rest of the world was engulfed in their lustful burning flames as the kiss was growing more urgently.

After about five minutes, as their lips were pulled apart, a gentle breeze fluttered over the flame extinguishing in the desperate heat. Their breathing came out in short and desperate gasps. The intensity had gone now giving in place to a total feeling of complicity between them. The rest of the world was slowly coming back into focus.

"Sean." She muttered right after the kiss.

They were still hugging each other.

"What, my Princess?"

"Don't call me that."

She didn't want to remember about her father now. Derek was the one that always called her 'little Princess.'

"Nothing, I just don't want to be called Princess."

"Why?"

"I don't need a nickname, just please call me Anna. Most of my life, I have been call by ridiculous nickname by my little sister calling me Nana, which I hated since she called banana for the same word."

"So, my beautiful, gorgeous Anna, what you were going to say?"

"Sean, I don't think my parents would approve of this."

"Your parents don't need to know. No one needs to know. This is just between you and me, you promise me?"

"I promise."

"I love you, Anna. I'll treat you like a queen until you're eighteen and we can be together. Don't make me regret this, I just want to love you, you just have to trust me."

"I trust you or I wouldn't be here with you alone, and risk everything I have because if my parents know about this I'd be in deep trouble, like being punished by them forever."

"It is very important no one knows about us because in the eyes of the law this is a crime and I could be put in jail, but once you are 18 this is no longer a crime. The law doesn't know the real truth, that this is love and not a crime, to feel and express love, but the most important thing for us is that you know that what we feel is not wrong at all, it is right to love each other and it feels so right, but we have to protect our love because if someone knows, I would be locked up in jail for a crime that I didn't commit because this is not a crime, what I feel for you, and that is love, and love is never wrong, it is the most right feeling and emotion in the whole wide world."

She took her cell phone from the schoolbag. There were a lot of missed calls from Emily.

"Ouch, my mother doesn't give me a break." She looked at Sean and smiled with a special glare in her eyes, "So give me your number, so we can at least text each other."

He scratched his head, "Anna, we cannot have this kind of contact. This could be easily tracked and we don't want this remember?"

At that point, she knew that she was entering a totally different field, full of challenges. But she was already too much involved to turn back. She had crossed the dangerous fine line of what she thought was love.

He could see the disappointment in her face. He hugged her again, with her head on his chest, "But I'll find a way for us to communicate. You just have to wait for my signals. Other than that, let's just act as teacher and student, okay?"

She was not happy at all, but she agreed, "Okay."

He held her face with both of his hands, "Trust me, we're going to be together."

He was about to kiss her again, when her cell phone started to ring again. She turned away from him, she was kind of pissed, "Sorry, I have to answer. She won't give up."

"Sure Anna, you have to answer. It's your Mom."

He wanted to have an idea of Anna's behavior.

"Hi, Mom."

"Anna, I've been calling you for so long!"

"My phone was in the bag, I didn't hear, sorry, Mom."

"When you're at home, you don't let go of this 'inferno' I-phone, not even to go to the bathroom and now you seem to have totally forgotten about it."

"We aren't supposed to use cell phone during the classes, Mom."

"Well, as far as I know, you classes finished like two hour ago!"

"I'm in the Math club! I told you that, Mom."

"Well, Anna, I'm on my way to pick you up."

"We didn't finish here yet."

"Finished or not, I'm on my way. Bye, Anna."

Anna threw the cell phone in the bag again, and rolled her eyes.

Sean hugged her again, "Don't be sad, Anna, we'll have plenty of times to be together. We'll just have to do what I say, okay?"

She looked at him. He kissed her, slowly, passionately, devilishly.

"I love you. I'll go now and you wait about five minutes to go, right?"

"…Right."

"…And please, Anna, remember about our talk."

"Sean, I love you, too. I'll protect our love."

He smiled in relief and said, "Good."

She watched him go away. Before he could cross the door, he looked at her and said, "I'm also a magician. There's something for you in the schoolbag pocket."

She was totally surprised. She checked and it was a small silver ballerina keychain, she smiled big, but when she looked at him he wasn't there anymore. But she was happy, holding tight her first gift from him.

**============ / ============**

Emily parked the car in front of the school. Anna got inside the car and she put on the seat belt.

Noticing that Anna was the only student outside the school, she asked, "Where are the others?"

Anna was too damn smart like her mother, and both biological and adoptive father, "Well, I told you we hadn't finished yet! They're all inside the school still." She was lying!

Emily started to drive again. Anna looked at her mother and she saw that Emily had totally "bought" her lie. She felt a little bit guilty in her conscience, a kind of remorse, which was soon dispelled when she remembered the kiss. She smiled, looking at the scenery outside the car, thinking of him.

Jolie was sitting in the backseat of the car, "Anna, I love math too! Is there anything I can do to help with you with this? I'm Mom assistant and I could be your math assistant too."

"The only thing you can assist me is cleaning my room and other things like that for me."

"Is there any chance I can join this math club? Since I study there too?"

"This club is for students at my age and this is not a su su club, so, no, you cannot join."

"Well, Anna, you better start respecting your sister, otherwise not even you will continue with this math club."

"This is unfair because this should be for all students. It's a great tool to learn more about math for me."

"Well, I ask the school to hire Minnie so they can have a Disney Club for students at your age for all you babies like you."

"I warned you, Anna, tomorrow you'll tell your teacher you're out of this math club. I don't want to hear your voice anymore for now!"

The rest of the traffic was in silence.

**============ / ============**

At home, Anna rushed to her bedroom. She took the ballerina keychain in her hands, and lay down on her bed, thinking of him, smiling.

Anna's bedroom was always a total mess. All the time she had shared the bedroom with Jolie, the room was always cleaned, because Jolie always did all the work. Now, once Jolie's room was the old family's office, Emily had given up insisting with Anna for her to clean her own bedroom. It was so frustrating for Emily not being able to do that, that she just let the bedroom the way Anna wanted.

Every drawer was always opened, her dressing table with dozens glasses and plates, her computer desk, her dresser. No one could walk there without stepping on clothes, shoes, cords for charging things, cologne and body-spray, makeup, those stuff were always all over the place. All the books of school were on the floor, too, near a bowl of crushed potato chips that had been hit by her notebook. Inside the wardrobe, there were maybe 30 hangers empty. Except for the clothes she would never wear, like elegant dresses, gift from her posh grandma Ambassador and her travels, which have been pushed to the back. But the bottom of the closet, that was where the clothes that were not on floor were, on top of shoes, which were on top of papers, and empty shoe boxes. Her room was an absolute wreck.

Thinking about the words of her mother, that she would have to give up the math club, because of her behavior, always provoking Jolie, etc, she decided to clean the room, to make her mother a surprise. She looked around, and she took a deep breath, yeah, it would take hours maybe to be done, but she would do anything and everything for him, right, right. With all energy, she started to clean.

Downstairs, Emily was starting to cook dinner. Jolie was there to help her as always.

"Don't you have homework, sweetie?"

"I had, Mommy, but I finished before we went to pick up Anna at school."

"Hmm, that's great. You don't need to help me. You can watch TV or something."

"I like to help you, Mommy."

"So, you can set the table, okay."

"Okay, Mommy. You think Daddy will come tonight?"

"Hmm, I don't think so. The last time I spoke to him the case was far from being resolved."

"I miss Daddy here with us, Mommy. I know that Daddy's job is saving people and this is so good to do, but he has been out for like four days now. He's never with us, and when he comes home, he has to go away soon again."

"I know it's hard, sweetheart, I miss him, too. But for now, there's no way that he can quit his job."

"Well, I'll put a plate for him, too, maybe he shows up."

Emily smiled seeing Jolie setting the table with her Minnie apron, setting the table and place for her Daddy.

After about half an hour, the doorbell rang.

"I'll check, Mommy! Maybe it's Daddy! I knew he'd come!"

"No, Jolie, your father has the key, he'd just enter. Let me check it."

Emily walked to the door and looked through the peephole. She took a deep breath before opening the door.

"Some things never change. You should have called."

"Well, darling, like you said, some things never change. You know that is not me to make appointments, especially with my old close friends."

Emily rolled her eyes and opened the door wide for him to enter.

There were about five years since they didn't see each other. Clyde knew Jolie and Anna already. Jolie was too young so she didn't remember about him right away. She was only looking.

"I can see that all these years just as a housewife did very well to you and by the delicious smell, I can see that you specialized in something else, exchanging weapons for pots."

"I have this little helper here…" She hugged Jolie. "She maybe still so young but she cooks very well too. She helps me a lot. But, Clyde, you're not here to talk about my culinary skills."

He smiled, "Of course not, darling."

"You must have a good reason for coming from London to here without a warning."

He smiled again, "Sure, definitely a big reason."

Emily was not sure if she wanted Jolie there to hear their talk.

"Jolie, hon, go to your room for a bit, okay, while I talk to this man."

Jolie looked at Clyde and whispered to her mother, "Mom, are you sure you want me to leave? You look so tense with him that I may not be strong like you but I can kick him in the shin and knees if I have to."

Clyde laughed, "Wow, you inherit not only your mother's beauty but her same fire badass tough genes, too, with two of you, I think I feel my safety jeopardized and in trouble because your mother kick my ass verbally and physically in the past before and now with a mini version of her to back her up, I am so nervous shaking in my boots."

Emily bent down to talk to her daughter, "That's okay, sweetie, he's an old friend of Mommy. Please, go to your room that we have adult issues to talk."

They wait for Jolie to climb the stairs. Emily crossed her arms.

"So, what is this big, huge reason about?"

"Ian Doyle."

Hearing this name brought chills to Emily body.

"I cannot believe that even after death, this man still haunts me."

"Relax, it's only a thing that came to Interpol but belongs to your daughter, his daughter so to speak."

"Anna has nothing to do with that man! We have nothing to do with that man! You shouldn't be here because of him. You're wasting your time, Clyde."

"Are you sure you're going reject an amount equal to one hundred million dollars?"

Emily frowned, totally confused.

"Ian Doyle left a fortune of about one hundred million dollars. Of course that because of his illegal business and all the hell he left behind, the government took a big part of it. But there's still twenty million dollars that belongs to his heir, which is your daughter. He left everything to her because when he did the testament he didn't know that Declan was alive. I know you know where Declan lives. I know you're close now because of his sister. But he left everything to Anna."

Emily was thinking, walking from one side to another of the room, "Clyde, in the eyes of the law, Anna has nothing to do with Ian, she was legally adopted by Derek when she was just a baby."

"Ian Doyle left a testament. His will is sovereign."

"He died seven years ago. Why this only now?"

"Because that money was the target of criminal investigations by the government, and it was being used for payment of damages caused by the crimes he committed."

She was confused, "No, I don't… I don't want this money from his illegal business, from a lot of murders, from a life of crime."

"I had an idea that you'd say something like that. But, Emily, there is another person involved here, maybe two people as you know Declan has his rights as well. Maybe this isn't only about 'your' choice."

"Anna is fourteen only, Derek and I are the ones responsible for her. We can make this choice for her and I don't want this. I don't want this bloody money."

"Well, Emily, my duty was to come here and let you know. The decision is yours. You can make a donation or anything with Anna's part."

She had to sit down now, "One hundred million dollars! Oh, my God!"

"Yes, and they took the big part of it already. The rest of it is still twenty millions dollar! That belongs to Anna according to the testament that he left."

"Clyde, I don't know what to say or do. My will is that you just go away as if you had never brought this news."

"I had to do this, Em."

"I know. I know, I am not blaming you. It is just that… I … I have no idea what the fuck I'm going to do with this information."

"You'll have a few days to think about this."

"How long are you staying?"

"I can stay for two weeks, but I really want to resolve this sooner."

"This was the last thing I needed. I thought anything I had with Ian would be history, and totally buried, even though that would never be since Anna is a reminder of him, but to me Derek is her true father, and Derek and Anna feel this way too. This is like a nightmare coming true for me now, Clyde. This Lauren part of my life, I just wanted to bury it in the sand, but I can never escape my past, it will haunt me for the rest of my life."

"Well, Emily as I can see this is only good news. Remember Ian is dead."

"If I had not seen this with my bare eyes, I'd start to doubt this. I have to talk to Derek about this immediately before we talk to Anna if we will tell her or not. This is a very delicate situation that can be a time bomb and we had many explosions with Anna and we do not want another one."

"Okay, Em, you take all the time you need, here are my card in case you don't have my contacts anymore."

"I'll give you a call as soon as I talk to Derek."

Clyde didn't make a move to go. Instead of it, "Em, I'm a little tired of food of Hotels and I really want to see if you can really cook. So, I'm thinking of staying for dinner."

"How rude of me Clyde, please, forgive me. I know we butting heads together when we were working as colleagues and at times fought like cats and dogs but we were also friends in my mind so yes please join us for dinner but eat at your own risk because I am not sure how good a cook I am."

"I know you would not intentionally want to poison me even though in past you wanted to kill me."

"Em, I am sure you are a wonderful cook as I remembered you were very skillful at everything you put your mind to."

So, this way, about fifteen minutes later, there they were, Emily and her two daughters sitting at a table with Clyde in the place that Jolie had affectionately settled for her father.

"Well sweetheart since I see the fire and passion in your eyes, threatening to kick me in my shin will you grow up to be a tough FBI agent like your mother?"

"I do not know what I want to do yet but whatever it is I want to help people like how my Dad and Mom do all their lives."

"And you, Miss oldest Prentiss girl, you're awfully quiet. What do you want to be?"

"I know I will inherit zillions dollars from my Grandma Ambassador. I just want to party on the yacht every second, living the high life."

Clyde looked at Emily thinking as if 'she only knew'. Emily sent a mortal look at Clyde as if 'you open your mouth you're dead."

After a moment of peace, "So, you guys are so close. Did you guys dated at some point in the past?"

Emily choked with the food, "Anna!"

"That's nothing wrong with that Mom, I was talking before Daddy."

"Your Mom was one tough cookie to crumble and to tame, so I was out of luck and she was out of my league for me."

"Anna, Mom feels uncomfortable talking about her past life, and that is what it is the past, she wants to forget it and focus on the future and present which is Dad and us."

Anna so wanted to give a harsh response here to Jolie but she was working on gaining Emily's trust again, so she just kept quiet.

"Wow, young lady, you have me in total amazement. I see the mannerisms of your Mother, it is like a mini version Emily talking to me, fiery and passionate, a total bad ass, this is too scary for me."

"I am also like my dad and Grandma Fran along with my Mom all decent human beings that I want to emulate all my life."

"I do not know your father too well, but I know your mother well and if any indication of the type of young woman you turn out to be, I am sure your Dad is a wonderful man just like your Mother, you and your sister are, all wonderful people."

**============ / ============**

**At that same night, at bedtime**

Emily was on the phone talking to Derek. He had called to say that the case was far from being resolved and to check on how things were going with her and the girls. Emily didn't tell about Clyde's visit and the reason for the visit. She wanted to talk in person, and with time, and she knew he was busy.

"Take care, Derek."

"I will, Princess. Give my love to the girls and you."

"I will. Love you too."

Anna was at the door of Emily's bedroom only waiting for her to finish the call.

"Mom, I have a surprise, for you and Jojo."

Jolie was also there. Anna guided them to her bedroom. Emily's and Jolie mouths expression were falling on the floor in total shock.

"Pinch me, Mom, I have to be dreaming."

"I do not think this is a dream unless we both having this same dream at same time. Speaking of dreams, this is one of my dream come true, that you actually clean your room for once and I hope this is permanent thing and not just once in a lifetime thing."

"I will try, Mom. I promise. Also I want to apologize for being so harsh with Jolie most of the time and with you, Mom. I will try not to cause anymore headaches for you, Mom. I know when I provoke Jolie it breaks your heart with more headaches and me also making a mess. I vow to always clean up my room and other areas of our home too."

Emily knew very well that this drastic change in Anna's behavior was only because Anna wanted her mother to allow her to go back to the math club, but since this would make Anna clean her room and treat Jojo better, then so be it. Emily only hoped that Anna could stay like this and also this math club was important for her education and future with possible scholarships opportunities for her. If Emily only had an idea of what this math club would bring to her life.

"Anna, darling, since you made me so proud that you cleaned your room, and apologize to us, and vowed to do this all the time and treat Jojo better, I changed my mind and will allow you to go to math club as long as you continue to do all this and this is not hard thing to keep on your end."

Anna smiled and hugged her mother. She was so very happy that she could not wipe the smile off of her face.

**============ / ============**

**A few days later**

After the usual math club meeting after regular hours classes, Sean was talking to Anna right after all the students have left. He didn't hugged or kissed her, it was too risky.

While they were collecting the things they used for the math club, calculators, projectors, multimedia, he slipped a note for her.

"This is my place address. I want you to be there tomorrow."

Anna looked at him. "…But… it's Saturday. No classes."

"Anna, I am sure you're going to find a way."

She was thinking.

"You want us to be together, right?"

She looked at him. He was smiling at her.

"Yes." She said.

"I'm going to wait for you."

He left the meeting room.

"What am I going to do? Mom almost made the decision to stop me from coming to this math club and now this? What excuse can I come up with? I'm in danger of having Mom stopping me to go to this again. She is one of the best profilers in the whole world and she'll able to see my facial expressions, and I have been able to fool her several times, but that is only by luck and my luck will run out soon there. What am I going to do?"

**============ / ============**

**Thanks for reading.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I own nothing**

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

"Mom, please, I'm going to meet my friends, there's nothing wrong with that. What could happen at the mall?"

"A lot, trust me. I know." Emily was folding the clothes that were on her bed.

"Only because you see bad things every day at work, it doesn't mean anything bad is going to happen to me. Please?"

"Anna, you know I don't like you going out alone. You're still too young."

"Mom, really? I'm fourteen! I went to several countries with the ballet company, alone."

"You weren't alone. There was a huge staff responsible for everything. It's different."

"Mom, I'm going to meet my friends there. We're going to see a movie, then shopping and dinner. I promise I won't leave the mall. Please, Mom. Nothing bad will happen. You can drop me at the mall then pick me up again, please?"

"Maybe."

Anna smiled, hugging her mother as if it was already agreed. "THANK YOU MOM! I love you."

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Emily parked the car in front of the mall.

"I'll pick you up at 5."

"That's not long enough Mom, It's already 1, if we're going to the movies, then shopping and dinner, I'll call you when I'm ready."

"Okay, Anna I'll be here at 6, Be here waiting. And keep your cell phone on."

"I will, but I need to put it on silent during the movie."

"Anna, please, take care. Call if you need me."

"Don't worry, Mom. I'll be fine."

Before leaving the car, "I need some money."

Emily was so worried that she had forgotten to give Anna any money, "Sure."

She opened up her purse and gave Anna some money. She waited until Anna entered the mall.

While Emily was driving home, the voice in the back seat said, "Mommy, since it's Saturday, can we visit Grandma? We haven't seen her in ages, I miss her."

"Oh, Jojo, sweetie, not today, I just want to go home and rest a bit, please. I don't feel too good." Emily was praying that this bad feeling was only because she was watching her baby become a teenager and independent.

"Sure, Mommy."

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Anna waited for about fifteen minutes then left the mall. She had the address in her hand. She walked to the metro and started to ask about which subway line she would have to take.

After taking the metro and two buses, she finally got there. It was one of those old apartment blocks in a quiet neighborhood and well away from the city, miles away from her house. She did not even know where she was. She walked slowly down the sidewalk looking for the correct address.

"It's here." She said to herself, not really believing she was actually doing this.

She stopped for a second. Somehow she knew this was huge, and she didn't know if she was ready for it. She could still turn around and go back home. But at the same time, it was him, her teacher, so handsome. What should she do? She entered the building.

Looking for the correct apartment, she finally found it, some girls a little older than her passed by talking and laughing to each other. Anna waited for them to go. She had on her jeans, her plaid shirt, boots, and her crochet bag.

She felt like she was dreaming. It was totally surreal. He said he was in love with her and she believed every word. Big mistake! She thought she was in love too. Ever since she met him, she wanted to be with him and never leave him.

She knew what she was doing but still she felt unsure, afraid even, but she had made her mind, nothing would stop her now. It was now or never. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

On the other side of the door, he smiled. He knew that she would come. He drank a bit more of his wine, and counted until twenty, slowly.

She was so excited, needed to see him, to feel safe. He knew that.

Her heart was beating so fast. She calmed down when he answered the door.

He smiled at her.

"Hi." She, said, trying not to seem too nervous. She didn't want him to think she was just another stupid kid.

He opened the door and let her in: Into the lions' den.

The apartment used to be an industrial building that was converted into apartments. It had huge windows, a small kitchen, breakfast counter, white sofa, bed and some other stuff.

The first thing she noticed was a painting easel, but she said nothing.

He gave her a glass of wine.

"I-I don't drink alcohol."

He smiled.

"Anna, today you can. You're a grown woman, right?"

She had never tried alcohol. 'Well, what harm could it possibly do? My parents drink it all the time.' She thought.

"Thanks." She took the glass.

He offered a toast. This was the first of many mistakes she was going to make today.

He watched Anna all the time, like a lion stalking its prey. He needed to be sure that he was totally in control of her.

"How is it?"

She looked at him confused.

"…The wine. How is it?"

"Oh, hmm, good."

"I bought you a gift."

He picked up a small box from the kitchen counter, and taking her glass, he presented the gift.

He stood as close to Anna as possible, to see her reaction.

She undid the white satin bow and opened the box. Not knowing what it was, she pulled out a package delicately wrapped in paper and opened it.

It was white, very sexy lingerie, panties and bra.

She looked at him, "T-thank you." Looking at him confused, she put it back in the box. He took her hands, "No."

She looked at him.

"I want you to put it on."

"Now?"

"Yes. Put it on for me."

Noticing her insecurity, he walked to the easel, "I want to draw you."

"What? Like this?"

He approached her, holding her in his arms. He kissed her passionately.

Anna had never felt like this before.

After the kiss, he asked again, "Please?"

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**At home**

"Mommy, it's Daddy on the phone."

Emily took the phone, "Hello."

"Hey, how are things?

"The same, Derek, I'm doing things at home. Jolie is watching TV."

"Where's Anna?"

"She's at the mall, with some friends."

"Hm, well, I have no idea when I'll be at home."

"Ah, I know, like always."

"Oh, is it's just me, or is that sarcasm in your tone?"

"Yeah Derek. I've been telling you for months that I need you home more. I quit my job six years ago and I've been doing this alone since then. I need you here more now the girls are older, I'm fucking tired of waiting. When are you going to look for a 9-5 job with weekends off?"

"Whoa, whoa, Emily, it isn't that simple, you know that!"

"I know it isn't that simple, Derek, but you have to start looking! It's too much for me. I didn't get married to be alone, to have to decide everything alone, to be responsible of everything that happens to the girls. They have a father after all, don't they?"

"Of course they do!"

"Well, it doesn't feel like that!"

"Emily, I-I…"

"Bye, Derek."

Emily put the phone down and saw that Jolie was there.

"…How long have you been here, Jolie?"

"I was waiting for you to finish talking to put the phone back."

"How many times have I told you not to listen to adult conversations? I was talking to your father in a private conversation which you were not supposed to be listening to!"

"I was not listening mommy." She said almost crying.

"You were and it's not right!"

"I'm sorry, Mommy, but I didn't know it was adult's talk."

"Here, put the phone back and go watch TV, I need some time on my own."

Emily was tense, she had a bad feeling about Anna. Jolie thought she was stressed from working too hard.

"Mommy, I know you work too hard and this is making you stressed, that's why I help you with all the chores, is there anything else I can help you with mom? Tell me and I will do it. I know you miss daddy just like me as he is always out of town on cases."

"Jolie, sweetie, I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve that. Yeah, I'm stressed, but none of this is your fault. I just need some time alone, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy." As she went to put the phone back.

Emily went to wash her face. Looking at the mirror, she thought, 'Emily, what is wrong with you? Why are you feeling this way? …that something bad is going to happen? You have a wonderful family, with two beautiful girls and a terrific husband. Life is good but you still feel that something is wrong. You are losing it, girl, where's the badass FBI Agent Prentiss.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Anna came out of the washroom wearing the sexy panties and bra that he brought for her. She felt shy, embarrassed.

He looked at her from head to toe, devouring her, making her even more embarrassed. Even though she was wearing a panties and bra, she felt so naked just by the way he was looking at her. She was totally stunned, frozen, speechless, numb and she couldn't move at all.

He approached her, touching her hair. Using both hands to fix her hair, he moved it from her face so he could see her cleavage and her small breasts.

"So beautiful."

He held her hand and brought her to sit on the bed.

"Okay, this is the perfect angle. Just look at me."

He pretended to paint, of course he had no artistic skills. He was nothing but a monster. He just wanted to watch her, manipulate her, make her even more vulnerable to his evil acts. He didn't care that he would destroy her life forever with his sick, perverted game.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**At home**

It was cold outside and Emily prepared some hot chocolate for Jolie and a coffee for her. She was sitting at the table, on her laptop. Jolie was sitting watching TV.

Jolie dropped her cup of hot chocolate all over the carpet and sofa. Emily looked at her, angrily, and quickly got up.

"Oh my God, Jolie! Can't you pay attention to what you're doing! I cannot stop even for a second to get some rest! Look what you did!"

"I will clean it up, Mom, don't worry." The little girl was about to cry.

"NO! I will! You did enough already!" She was yelling.

"I'm sorry mommy, I am so clumsy but I didn't mean to do it, please forgive me."

Emily took a deep breath to stop her yelling even more, "Please, Jolie, just go to your room and stay there until I call you."

The girl did it without thinking. She was so sad. Not because she missed the delicious hot chocolate, or the cartoons on TV, but because she has somehow disappointed her mother. This was always the last thing she wanted to do.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

He covered the painting he had started, preventing Anna from seeing that the canvas was blank. He approached her on the bed and sat near her. He knew she was ready. She was totally seduced.

He began to touch her inappropriately. With his finger playing with the bra strap, he unfastened it.

When she felt that he had opened it, she muttered, "No." But it was muffled by a hot kiss.

Still kissing her, he got rid of her panties. Despite her saying 'no' again and asking him to wait, he pushed her down onto the bed and raped her secretly filming it.

She gave up begging him to stop and just accepted the fate that she herself had created. It hurt a lot, but he wouldn't stop, not now, not during the best part. She closed her eyes. She was crying silent tears.

She thought about her mom. She was screaming, hoping that Emily could hear her through some psychic mother/daughter connection. She needed the warmth of her mom's loving arms wrapped around her, telling her that all would be okay.

Anna was being hurt physically, yes, but the mental and emotional scars of these feelings would haunt her for the rest of her life. She was losing her innocence and hope.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**At home**

Emily was trying to keep calm but she just couldn't. She had cleaned up all the mess that Jolie had made and she was preparing another hot chocolate for the girl.

If there was a link between mother and daughter, a power in us that binds us to those we love, Emily could feel it. She felt a strangeness, like a warning that something really bad was happening and she could do nothing to stop it.

Trying to ignore it, she took another hot chocolate to Jolie in her bedroom.

"Jojo, sweetie, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout at you. I rarely do this to you and I do not plan on doing this regularly. I must have scared you and you must think I am angry and disappointed at you, but this couldn't be further from the truth, sweetie, I am always so proud of you and what you did was human in which we all make mistakes, have accidents like this, even me. I know you didn't mean it."

"It's ok mommy, I'll try to be more careful next time. Thank you for making me another hot chocolate"

Emily smiled at her.

"Well, it's almost six now. Let's go to get Anna?"

"Yes."

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Emily parked the car in front of the mall and waited. After about fifteen minutes, there was no sign of Anna and her cell phone was off.

"Anna, why aren't you answering? You should be here by now and if not, you should be expecting a call from me..."

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**THANKS FOR READING**


	6. Chapter 6

**I own nothing**

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

"Sean, it's dark, I can't stay here, please, drive me to the mall."

"Anna, the mall is two blocks from here. You can walk. It's too risky to take you there. You said your mother would wait for you, right?"

Anna looked around and she saw a few drug users around.

"Sean, I'm afraid."

"There's no need to be afraid, Anna."

He touched her legs, looking straight into her eyes, "You know I recorded our intimate moment, right?"

"You, what? You recorded us? Oh, my God, Sean!"

"You would not like your parents to see it. Right?"

Anna was in panic.

"Of course not! Why would you do this?" She was crying.

"Because when I miss you, I have this. It's a way to have you always with me."

Actually it was a way to keep her mouth shut, but Anna was too naïve to see it.

"Just think, Anna, if your mother sees you leaving my car. Do you want this?"

"No."

"So, just leave."

Anna got out of the car, and ran with all the strength she had. Besides the drug users around, it was dark already and raining.

She was about to reach the mall gates when she tripped on a rock and fell in a puddle.

"Ouch, aww, oh my God."

With some difficulty, she got up and continued her path, walking with a limp now. She entered the parking lot of the mall and walked to Emily's car, the same place where Emily dropped her hours ago.

She entered the backseat of the car. She was running out of breath.

"Anna, where the hell were you? You should have been here years ago and if you could not be here, you should have at least answer your phone and not keep your phone off! That's why you have a cell phone, for not to be turned off but to be ready to accept calls! You should have been checking your phone if you were not going to be here on time and at least call me to tell me you were going to be late so I would not worry out of my skin, Anna! I know how life is outside! You're making me blow my top off now as I am steaming up the windshield, that is how angry and pissed off I am at you now. You'll take a long time for me to trust you again, and you can forget about going out without me or your father."

Emily was so pissed that she could not see how Anna was devastated. Anna was in such emotional, mental and physical pain, she was in such distress, feeling totally lost from the things she just had experienced, that she could barely absorb what her mother was saying. She was suffering from the deepest kind of pain, as if all her dreams, her future, her plans had been all stolen from her, her innocence.

"Mommy, Anna probably could not answer the phone because it looks like she fell. Her forehead is bleeding. She might have a concussion and I really think that she needs to go to a hospital. Not only her forehead is bleeding but she has dirt all over her face, something bad happened, Mommy."

"No, Jojo, I don't need any hospital."

Emily was still in the line of cars to get out of the mall. She looked at Anna in the backseat.

"Oh, my God, Anna, what happened?"

"The floor of the food court was very slippery and dirty. The janitor was cleaning it because someone dropped food all over. That's why I fell and hit my head on the floor."

"Oh, Anna, they're responsible for this. I'm going to take you to the hospital right now and if something bad happened to you I'm going to sue them!"

Anna looked at Jolie and muttered, "Thanks." She was angry. A hospital was the last thing she wanted now.

"Mom, I feel fine, please, I just want to go home and take a shower."

"Anna, we have to make sure you are okay."

"I am okay, Mom."

Ignoring it, Emily said, "That's why I had a bad feeling ever since I agree to take you to this mall. Something told me that things would happen and bad things would happen. I think your injury could be serious, that's why my maternal instincts were going all over the place like crazy, during all the day, oh my God."

Arriving at the hospital, Emily went straight to the reception with the health insurance documents, while Anna and Jolie were in the waiting room as well nearby.

Anna whispered in Jolie's ears, "Next time, mind your own business su su baby. You should worry about yourself only you big baby. Thanks for nothing."

Jolie wanted to cry but she held it, keeping all inside she did not want Emily to be angrier and more worried.

"And next time do not speak unless someone tells you to! Su su babies like you should never speak unless we tell you to. You got me in big trouble here, thanks to your big mouth."

Jolie walked away from her and approached Emily on the counter of the reception.

Mother and daughters were waiting in the waiting room when someone called Anna's name. Anna was calmer since she knew no one would see her deepest wound that was in her soul.

"You can wait here, mother." A nurse said to Emily.

After a long time examining Anna, the doctor asked the nurse to call Emily to his office.

"Mrs. Morgan, your daughter is okay. She had only a small cut and we already fixed it. We took to x-rays only to be sure, but it was just a superficial wound."

"Oh, Thank God. Thank you, doctor."

Emily approached Anna that was lying on the stretcher, "How are you feeling, sweetie?"

"I'm okay, mother. I just want to go home, please."

Emily could see in Anna's look something that she had never seen before. Despite her beautiful blue eyes, they were dark. Emily felt chills. It was as if the lights in her heart and soul was turned off, leaving a total dark scared look in her eyes. Emily knew that something was different about her and that something was very wrong with her daughter, but she could not put a finger on it, not now. She would only hope that she could get this out of Anna somehow, to get her to tell her everything.

"Are you sure you're okay, Anna?"

"Yes, Mom, please, you heard the doctor. Let's just go home."

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**At home**

Anna ran straight to her bedroom and locked the door. She only wanted to cry. She did it with her face on the pillow to muffle the sound of her crying.

Emily was preparing dinner when her cell phone rang.

"Hello."

"Hey, are you better? You seemed a little… I don't know… a little angry earlier."

She huffed.

"Emily, what's going on?"

"I wish I knew, Derek."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I have this feeling that things are getting out of my control. I have this bad feeling all the time now and I just don't know what to do and how to deal with it. I think there's must be something wrong with Anna but I cannot even talk to her. She's always so angry and rude that I prefer just to leave her alone to not slap her on the face, but them, I feel that she needs help. I'm so afraid, Derek. I really need you and I wished that you could stay at home more often."

"Emily, you know I can't. This is not easy."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. You can't. But I've been raising them both all by my own. I know you pay the bills but this is not enough, Derek. They need guidance, limits, steady hand from both parents and I don't know until what point that your absence will affect their future, I mean, Anna is fourteen and Jolie, ten, they never have a normal life with a father."

"This is so unfair, Emily. You know very well that is not the quantity but quality what most matters."

"Yeah, well, but you are never here when they need you the most, when I need you the most. They see you as the coolest person in the world because you never have to deal with the bad stuff day to day."

"What? …Bad stuff? What are you talking about? I thought you loved being a mother. I thought you love our family!"

"You bast…" She gave up completing the word and took a deep breath.

"Derek, I'm done talking. I feel like a broken tape repeating the same things all the time every time we talk. We're going in circles here and this will not lead anywhere. Bye."

She hung up before he could answer.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Derek was at the police station. They had just delivered the profile, right before he calls Emily.

Rossi had seen Derek's reaction when Emily practically hung up the phone on his face.

"At least you two still talk."

"I don't think so Rossi man, she doesn't even let me talk."

"Well, my experience tells that as long as she keeps talking to you, things can still be fixed. The moment she stops talking then you should really worry."

"I think we're getting into this point already and honestly I have no idea for how long I still can do it."

"Uh, are you saying you regret being married after how long… fifteen years?"

"Thirteen. The thing is it looks like I only make her suffer. She is always complaining about something like if I was a torment in her life. I don't get Emily sometimes."

"We can live with a woman for zillions years and we'll never understand them, Derek.

"Well, Rossi man, I know what you mean, but how do you think I would feel? I know Emily so well. We worked together many years before ever getting together romantically and we could always read each other's mind. We could complete each other's sentences! And now this mess! I know she is under a lot of stress with me being always absent, but I don't think it's the case for her to be so… I don't know even what word to use here…"

"I really love Emily. You know our story. She is the best thing that happened in my life, along with the girls. But, now, it's hard to say this, but I miss the times I could go back home and being alone, with my beer and watching sports on TV."

"Derek, I am in this position right now and as much as I love being alone, I wish I had a beautiful wife and two gracious daughters waiting for me every time I go home."

"She wants me to find a nine to five with weekend offs type of job. She says this as if it was the easiest thing in the world."

"You have to consider that possibility, Derek. This could be what is best for Emily and your family but you must be sure this is what is best for you, too. If you can find yourself happy with this new type of job, then, it will be worth considering seriously by you."

"The thing is that I don't think this is necessary and she thinks I'm not making any effort to be with her and the girls. It's a fuck of an endless and an unnecessary discussion."

"Derek, I know how our job can be so demanding, being called out to go without a second warning, having to leave at an insane moments like Christmas, Easter, how many presentations of your daughters at school have you missed? Why do you think I have so much failed relationships and marriages? It's because of this job. I was never able to spend quality time with my loved ones. I know you are kind of pissed at Emily attitude right now but try to see it from her point of view and in her shoes. I understand she is angry all the time and this is making you angry, too, but you both have to try and talk together in calm manner and rationally even if she is not talking like this, you have to try to talk this way to her for the both of your sakes and please be patient with her."

"Patience is a virtue that I don't have."

"But we learn, Derek. We learn it."

"I don't even remember the last time we had sex, I think in months…And that happiness of when a case ends and we can go home is all gone…"

Rossi looked at him shocked and surprised.

"Derek, the sex is not important. Okay, yes, it is, but what I'm trying to say is that you need connection and intimacy with her. It does not have to be sex, it can be talking, hugging, kissing or just holding her but the most important thing is communication and that is what you and Emily need the most, not sex.

Derek could only laugh, "Rossi man, c'mon, are you really saying this to me? I breathe sex. And, considering your fame, I would say that you used to, too."

Rossi laughed, "Well, Derek, I am not as famous as you in this department but I tried."

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**At home**

"Jojo, please, call Anna. Dinner is ready."

Jolie went to call her older sister in her bedroom.

"I don't want dinner. Tell mommy my head hurt which makes me feel like not eating." It was an excuse.

Before Jolie left the bedroom, Anna still said, "Tell Mom to not come in here and force me to eat. Tell her not to come in. I am going to try and sleep now and she might wake me up."

"I think you need to eat a little, Anna, at least, because if you do not have something in your system, you might even feel worst and get sicker."

"What? Are you my mother? I have one enough and that is too much and anyways you are a _su su_ baby that you should not tell me anything. Obviously, you did not learn from my warning. I told you in the car, not to tell me anything and open your mouth as you got me in trouble that I had to go hospital when I did not need one."

After this, of course that Jolie had to leave the room.

"Mommy, Anna told me to tell you that her head hurts that makes her not want to eat dinner. She just wants to sleep only now."

"Hmm, okay. So, I'm going to serve you."

Jolie sat at the table and she was alone there, eating. Emily was washing the things she had used to cook, etc.

"Mommy, are you going to eat with me?"

Still at the sink, she said, "No, sweetie, I don't feel like eating, too."

"This is so sad, Mom. I don't like eating alone. I like when everyone is here, Anna, Daddy and you. It's awful eating alone. My hunger is all gone."

"You have to eat, Jolie. It's bad enough that your sister is not going to eat but she has a good excuse with her not feeling well, but you do not have an excuse so please eat up."

"I feel like I don't have a family eating alone."

"I promise you will have at least one of us eating with you and hopefully, Daddy, you and I can eat dinner more often together. This is rare you eating alone, Jolie. I am so sorry but this will be very rare that you will eat alone again, I promise."

"Maybe we can all Mrs. Thompson more often to eat dinner with us." The little girl suggested.

"Jolie, please, just eat, I have to continue what I am doing as I cannot stop now, you know my work here is never done."

Emily was losing her patience, plus, she was worried about Anna still.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Much later that same night**

Emily knocked on Anna's bedroom door, opened it and entered.

"Anna, sweetie, I brought this for you since you didn't eat anything, hot chocolate and cookies, your favorite."

Anna was lying in bed with headphones in her ears. She took them off to hear what Emily was saying.

Emily put a tray on the headboard.

"Thanks, Mom. I'll eat later."

She had her eyes swollen and red from crying. She was praying that Emily would leave, but exactly the opposite, Emily sat on the bed near her.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, Mom. They gave me some medicine for pain. It was just a cut."

"So, I don't get it, Anna. What's bothering you? I'm worried about you."

"Nothing is my bothering me Mom, just a little embarrassed for falling and bumping my head and the pain here is bothering me so that is about it what is bothering me, Mom.", of course that a best female profiler would never buy it.

"Which friends did you meet there?"

"Mom, I am tired and I want to sleep now."

"Anna, I want their names. It would not need too much effort from your part to say two or three names to me, would it?"

"You don't know them."

"I know all your best friends, from ballet, from school, so I can just assume that you have new friends that I know nothing about them?"

"What's the problem, Mom? I cannot make new friends? Do I need to ask permission from you every time I want to make a new friend?"

"Do not talk to me like this, Anna, and yes, I have to know all your friends, especially if you are going out with them, and don't forget that I can tell when you're lying!"

"This sucks, Mom. This sucks! None of my friends' mothers are like this! I feel like I'm in jail here!"

"You don't know that, also, I know how the real world is outside, I care about you Anna, you are my daughter. I love you. I want you to know that you can count on me on your darkest moments."

"Mom, mom, stop, I just want to be alone, please."

"Anna, you have not been yourself lately. I am not attacking you but I am worried about you. I only want what is best for you and right now you seem to be in some distress, I wish you could tell me willingly. I hate asking you this but I have to since you leave me with no choice. Are you having some kind of drug addiction? Anna if you are having problems like this, I will not judge you, this would upset me? Yes, but I just want to get the help you need, please. I know sometimes we see someone that we consider a good friend and give it to us but they are not a friend because a real friend would never do this. Sometimes we see people we like doing this and we think it's cool and harmless but it isn't. It is no going back."

Anna was controlling her emotions, looking at Emily, "You finished?"

Emily said nothing. She was anxiously waiting for Anna's answer.

"Mom, honestly, none of my friends are doing drugs and I would never do something like this. I know how much damage it could do to a person's life and health. You and dad taught me all my life about things like this from your experience at your job about how many people destroy their lives and the other's lives because of drug use so I know the danger of this and would never use illegal drugs."

Emily breathed in relief.

"I'm sorry asking you this, but I had to. Please, Anna, any problem you have, anything, you can tell me, promise?"

"Yes, I promise to tell you if I have any problems, but right now my problem is growing pains that period that is tough just adjusting of coming out of childhood and starting puberty into adulthood."

"I know it's tough, and I had to go through a lot of things alone. I did not have my mother with me, never, ever, and if I had her physically, I didn't have her emotionally. But it is not the same with you. I am here for you and I will always be."

Emily put her into that big tight mother hug that Anna was so in need of. Into Emily's arms, she could feel a bit safe again, but she could not stay there forever.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Thanks for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I own nothing**

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**A few weeks later**

Emily was preparing dinner, and Jolie as always was helping her. Derek was finally home after weeks in row, out. Jolie ran to hug her Daddy. Derek tried to lift her from the floor, "Oh my God, little Princess, you're so grown that I can barely carry you anymore."

"Well, Daddy I always eat so healthy because of the fruits vitamins Mommy makes for me. I feel so strong and it would give me muscles to grow much faster and better always, so, I am feeling good and strong that is why, Daddy. I will grow up to be big and strong just like you, Daddy"

"The way that you're never home, they'll turn into adults and you aren't even going to realize it." A spiteful voice of Emily spoke, without looking at him.

Derek put Jolie on the floor, and kissed Emily. Well, he tried, because she turned her face.

"Hello to you, too, Emily."

She didn't answer.

"Where's Anna?"

"If you manage to get her out of her bedroom, Derek, you can try, because I gave up already."

"I'm going to try."

He climbed the stairs and knocked on the door and nobody answered, he knocked again and nothing. So, he decided to try to open it.

Anna was lying face down on the bed, backs to the door, with the headset in her ears. Of course that she wouldn't hear Derek knocking.

As he sat on the bed near her, she turned to look who was there. As soon as she saw Derek, she took off the headset and gave him a big hug, "Daddy!" She started to cry.

"Yeah, Princess, I'm here, and I miss you so much, too."

She spent a lot of time just hugging him, and crying on his shoulder. At that moment, Derek could feel all the anguish and pain that Anna was feeling, but he gave all the time for her to only cry in his arms.

After a little awhile, she broke the hug, wiping out her tears with her hands. She couldn't look at him, but he was looking at her all the time.

"Mommy said you have some problem."

"Mommy is exaggerating."

"No, she isn't, Anna, because I can see it. I never saw you like this. Your eyes are dark and this is not a good sign."

Anna said nothing.

"Do you want to tell me what's going on?"

Anna said nothing

"…And don't tell me this is nothing because I know something is bothering you."

Anna knew that she would have to come up with an excuse.

"It's… it's because of a boy. I like him but he doesn't even look at me."

Somehow, Derek knew that she was lying. Anna was clearly living in turmoil. It was pretty obvious that her pain was much deeper than that. Derek could see that almost there wasn't life in her eyes. There was a significant change of behavior in him now. He quickly went from a happy father who came only to see his daughter to an extremely worried father. He would be able to kill someone if something bad happened to his daughters."

"What did he do to you?"

Anna looked at him now, "Who?"

"Anna, you just said about this boy." Derek was sure now that she was lying."

Anna broke the eye contact again, "No one did anything to me, Daddy."

Derek took both of her hands, "Look at me." She did. "I know you're lying. But I want you to know that you can trust me, Anna, and your mother, with anything, please, whatever the problem is, the worst it is, you have to tell me or tell your Mom, because we love you. Your mother and I are the people in the world that you can trust the most, Anna."

Anna started to cry again, and she hugged her father.

"I can't tell you now, Daddy, but this is no big deal, just a lot of changes, sometimes I don't even know why I'm this way."

"Anna, I know that something is bothering you, and it is killing me that you will not tell us what it is because your mother and I would do anything to help and protect you, even give up our lives, just to protect you and help you. There is nothing you cannot tell us. We will not judge you if it is a mistake you made. We are all humans and all of us would made enormous mistakes, even me, so, please, do not feel that you would disappoint us and feel ashamed. Just wanted to let you know that and in the meanwhile come downstairs to have dinner with us. As we four did not have dinner together what seems like a zillion years ago."

**During the dinner**

"Wow, I had trouble at work today because the person I was interviewing today to get info for a case had this very thick weird British accent, I could hardly understand him even though many people might think he is speaking perfect English."

"I know what you mean, Daddy, same with this surprise visit that Mommy got the other day when you were not here. He was very strange, weird with his accent I think from England, too."

Emily was, like, super pissed, "Jolie, can't you keep your mouth shut for once, for God's sake?"

Emily wanted to talk about Clyde's visit later, only with Derek, not in front of the girls, because Anna didn't know yet about the money Doyle left to her. She got up from the table and threw her plate in the sink, and went to her bedroom.

Jolie first was in shock by her mother yelling at her for no reason, and then she started to cry, "But, Daddy, I did nothing wrong. I never thought this was a secret and what is wrong with telling that someone came to visit Mommy."

Anna, well, she was in another world, it was the same as if she wasn't there. Derek took a good look at Jolie and said, "You did nothing wrong, okay?"

He went to the bedroom after Emily. She was sitting on their bed, putting on her boots.

"Emily, what the fuck was that downstairs?"

"Derek just please leave me alone, okay, not now. I don't want to say things and regret, please, just leave."

She put on her coat, and took her purse with her. Derek was skeptical, "Where are you going?"

"I have no idea. I just need to go out."

Emily went downstairs. Before leaving, she held Jolie's face, "I'm sorry for yelling at you. There are some types of subjects that are only for adults to discuss, and this is one of those."

Emily kissed Jolie and Anna and left her home in the middle of this chaos.

Derek was thinking to himself, "I better really push for that day time job 9-5 and weekends off because she is under too much stress and need me here more. She snapped at Jolie and who knows how much she can take, she might get herself sick. I have to get this done now as soon as possible like now if possible.

"Daddy, where is Mommy going? It's night! Is she too upset of what I done? Is she not coming back? I am having flashbacks to that horrible time when Mommy left me with Auntie Pen at the BAU. This is bringing back horrible times for me now and I am afraid she might not come back." She said with tears.

"Jolie, Mommy is not going anywhere. She would never leave you and all of us. She just wanted to get some fresh air. Have you never ever felt that you can't breathe inside? That you need to be alone and get some fresh air? Well, that is what Mommy is doing now and she will be back very soon, so, you do not need to worry about a thing here."

Only to increase Derek's torment, Anna said, "Can I go to my room now?"

"Anna, I prefer that you stay with Jolie and I here so we can do something together but if you feel like you need to rest or do something in your room go ahead but, please, I want to see two of my girls and spend quality time together with you both as I have been gone on case for a very long time, I miss you two so much."

"I feel like I want to be alone in my bedroom." She was holding tears already.

Derek could see a bit of what Emily was facing on a daily basis.

"Go ahead, Anna." Derek said, sadly.

He took Jolie's hands and held her tight on couch. They both were watching TV together, only spending time together.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**At some bar**

Emily sat at the counter, having some string drink to take her frustrations. Even though she looked miserable, she was still gorgeous and sexy. A guy approached her, "How about if you and I go somewhere private so we can get to know each other better?"

Emily forced a sarcastic smile and look at him, "How about if I kick you in your private area right now so you could know how pissed I am. I'll give you the chance to go away and crawl back under the rock you came from or else you will not like what I might do to you."

"So sorry to offend you, I have to go crawl back under my rock like you just said."

The poor guy could see in Emily's eyes how much of a badass she was and how tough she was. There was no way he will mess with her anymore. He knew he'd better run so fast with his tail between his legs. He was feeling very nervous, as he never got a reaction from any woman like that before and he never seen a woman this angry and pissed at him before. He would be traumatized for a long time.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**At home**

Derek was in Jolie's bedroom waiting for her to sleep. Not that she needed this, because she was ten already, but because they were missing each other so much.

"It looks like you need me to read you a story. I know you think you are too big for story time but you will always be my new born baby, so how about a story?"

"How about a story which is a true story Daddy? Tell me how the first time you met Mommy and how you feel about her? Was it love at first sight? I want to know every detail how you both fell in love. Do not leave out a single detail. I think you two are a perfect prince and princess fairy tale story as you both look like a prince and princess as you both so beautiful like a princess and prince, Daddy."

"Well, Jolie, the first time I met your mother was when she joined our team and I was totally amazed by her beauty, grace and elegance. I think I was in love with her immediately because of her beauty but I had to play it cool. Then, I found out we have similar interest in everything, like books for example, music, movies, so we really had a lot in common. I saw that your Mom was so tough with bad guys, but so gentle and loving when dealing with young kids on cases, one extreme to the other. For a long time I could not get as close to your Mom as I liked. Every time that we would go to bars with the whole BAU team, your Mom would never ever go. At the beginning, we didn't know but she had your big sister, and she was just a baby, she was only one year old. So, one day, I took all the courage I had and I came at her place, which it is this apartment we live now, for a visit, and we were talking when we heard a baby crying, I was in shock as I never expected this. Your Mom brought Anna to me so I could meet her. I was totally shock but I fell in love with your sister, too, that I eventually adopted her on our wedding day so she is legally my daughter in the eyes of the law and I love your sister like I love you equally. So your mother, your sister and I became a family that love each other very much and about three years later your mom was pregnant with you and we were so very happy about this and..." Only now Derek realized that Jolie was sleeping already.

He went to his bedroom. He took a shower and put on his pajamas. He sat on the bed staring at the family picture on the frame. The four of them were smiling and happy. He wondered what had happened to change that. He took the phone to call Emily. He stood holding the phone for a long time. He gave up calling her.

He went to Anna's bedroom to check on her. He was only watching her sleep for a while until she got really restless.

"No, no, no, please, stop, stop, no." She was so desperate and crying that Derek had to gently wake her up.

"Anna, baby, wake up please, you're just having a bad dream. Daddy is here with you now, and I will always protect you, as long as I am alive, I promise, no one will ever hurt you. It is just bad dream."

Derek had to hold her tight, "Do you want to tell me what your dream was about? I know you were screaming no, no, no, no, like if someone was hurting you… Is this what is bothering you? Is someone terrorizing that you are having this dream? Anna, sweetheart, please, tell me."

"It's just a bad nightmare Daddy, a monster was attacking me." She was crying in despair now.

As Derek touched her face to wipe out the tears, he realized she was burning in fever,

"Anna, you have a fever! Let me get the thermometer."

Derek came back with the thermometer and she had a 38° fever, He gave her a medicine to cut the fever. "Anna do you have this fever every night?"

"I don't know, Daddy."

"Do you always have these nightmares?"

She didn't answer. Derek insisted, "Anna, please."

"They started a few weeks ago."

"And you always have these fevers with the nightmare?"

"I don't know, Daddy."

"Don't you call your Mommy when you gave this fever?"

"Mommy is always so stressed and tired that I don't want to wake her up in the middle of the night."

"Anna you know that you can call me or Mommy anytime, please."

"I'm sorry, Daddy." She was crying again.

Derek held her tight for a long time, until she fell asleep again, and this took, like, hours.

About midnight, she was soundly sleeping again, Derek went to his bedroom. He took the phone to call Emily, again, but once again, he gave up.

He leaned against the pillow to wait for her, thinking, 'Emily, now I can see what made you had enough that you blew up on Jolie and flew out of here away from us, needing some privacy to catch your breath as you could not breathe for many, many months with all this hovering all over you. Anna is in total despair and you cannot do a thing about it as she will not tell us and it is very frustrating, but now Anna is getting so sick from this torment. If only I knew what it is.'

After about half an hour, Emily entered the bedroom. She looked awful.

"Derek, I'm sorry. I just needed some time."

"I can see your shoes more clearly now, Emily. I am so very sorry, too."

She said nothing and started to change for her pajamas.

"Anna had huge nightmare that some monster was attacking her, and I think this nightmare is related to what is troubling her. Someone or something is tormenting her so this dream transferred it to a monster attacking her."

"Derek, I have no idea what this is. She doesn't say a thing! I'm tired of asking her! This is so frustrating."

"When did it start?"

"She went to the mall, I mean, I dropped her there. She said she would meet some friends for a movie and eat something, then she was a little late and I went to pick her up, she had fallen, I took her to the hospital but they said this was nothing serious. But since then, her behavior changed completely. She is like another person!"

"Well, maybe we should investigate this better. She also had a fever."

"What?" Oh, my God."

"Please, Emily, don't panic, she's sleeping now. I gave her a medicine."

"I shouldn't have gone out."

"I understood that you had a right to take some time off."

Derek approached her, touching her face and pulling her to a hug.

She finally broke down, "Oh, Derek, what happened to us? I'm losing control of everything."

"Emily, we will get through this together like we always have been. We're one family unit for better or worse and I know it is the worse of time now but that is what life is about ups and downs, the most important thing is that we do this together for Anna, all will be okay I promise you.

Derek was trying to reassure himself as well that all would be okay.

"I wish I could believe it, Derek."

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Few days later, at school**

Anna waited for all the students to leave the classroom for the break so that she could talk to Sean. Since you quit Math club idea we never talked again.

"Sean, I miss you."

"Anna, I'm sorry but we cannot talk here, not now."

"You said I was special."

"…And you are. But we have to wait a little more to be together again."

"Sean, please. You cannot do this to me." Her voice was cracking.

"Okay, I'll settle for another day for us to be together again, okay? Now I really have to go."

He left the classroom and she stood there, crying.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Few days later**

Sean had finally settled for another date for Anna to go to his apartment. She had asked Emily to take her to the mall again, same thing like the other times, Emily did it because she had a plan. She would investigate it. It would be today.

She dropped Anna at the mall. She could follow Anna with her eyes until the girl entered the mall. She parked the car and entered the mall, too. She had left Jolie with the neighbor, Mrs. Thompson, an old lady that always helped Emily to look after and stay with Jolie.

Emily went to the movies area to look for Anna and watch her from afar, and see what kind of people that she was friends with.

After about one hour at the area of the cinema, there was no sign of Anna. Emily started to get worried. Actually Anna was already in Sean's apartment.

Emily decided to call Garcia, "Pen, please, I need a favor."

"…Anything for you, my love."

"Can you track Anna's cell phone for me? You know I would never ask this if it wasn't an emergency."

"Oh, my God, did something happen to her?"

"I hope not, Pen. But I need to know where she is now."

Penelope typed Anna's cell phone number on the BAU computer to track it.

"Emily, Anna must be in big trouble, poor her, that she could not tell you that she has to do this by herself going so far a distance which is similar to going to another planet for her. Hope you can find her and keep her safe from harm. She is in somewhere in Richmond."

"Oh my God, what she would be doing there, I dropped her at the mall."

"Where are you now, Emily? Do you want to come here at BAU? We can track this address."

"I'm at the mall, no, Pen, we don't have time, I need to go after her. Give me the address."

"Sending now."

"Penelope, please, cross this address with all her friends on Facebook, her teachers, all contacts of her cell phone, I know how busy you must be with the case, but this is very important. Garcia, start with the teachers." Yes, her profiler skills were very much alive.

"Don't worry, Em, Kevin can help with the case. I do not have maternal instincts like you, Emily, but my cyber senses I do have is going haywire and I can feel something is very wrong. I hope I am wrong that everything is okay with our sweetie girl, Emily."

"I'm driving to there now, Garcia, please, as soon as you have something, please call me."

After about ten minutes, Emily was driving, Garcia called her.

"Emily, you're still so good. There's something really wrong and…"

"Garcia, please, I'm dying here, just say it…"

"It looks like this address, belongs to a woman, her name is Amber Brody, she is not related to Anna in any way but looking further I found out she is married to one of Anna's teacher, Sean Brody."

Emily braked the car suddenly losing control of the car for a second; burning-rubber; making noise that Garcia could hear.

"Oh my God, Emily, are you okay? Emily, talk to me."

"I'm here, Pen, I parked at the coasting."

"You want me to call Derek?"

"Not yet, I still hope that I am totally wrong about what I'm going to find there, please, call the police and give them the address. I'm on my way to there."

"Emily, please, come here to the BAU. It can be dangerous, let the police do their job."

"No way, Garcia, I need to find my daughter!"

And there she was, Emily, with her hands shaking, driving, shedding tears of anger, saying to herself, "Let me be wrong, let me be wrong. There must be a logical explanation for all this." Deep down, Emily knew she was wrong, she was about to vomit, thinking about what was really happening to Anna at this exact time.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Thanks for reading and please leave a comment.**


End file.
